Innovate Limerick, the innovation arm of Limerick City and County Council, is to create an E-Hub in Abbeyfeale following the successful purchase of the former bank building in the West Limerick town.

ENGINE E-Hub, located at Provincial House on Main Street, will become a central community space and will include high speed broadband, fit out of a co-working space, meeting rooms and a training room to facilitate business start-ups and training.

Dr. Pat Daly Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Economic Development with Limerick City and County Council said: “This co-working space will have many benefits including a cost saving for businesses and the creation of an environment that encourages creativity, better communication and collaboration between businesses and individuals, thus increasing productivity and further sustainable employment.”

Professor Eamonn Murphy, Chairman of Innovate Limerick said: “The ENGINE E-Hub in Abbeyfeale will be connected to the existing network of Enterprise Centres by Innovate Limerick’s Business Development Executive. The facility will also be connected to ENGINE which is located in the heart of Limerick city centre’s Georgian Innovation District and ENGINE E-Hub at Rathkeale which will be launched in June of this year.”

Cllr Seamus Browne, Board Member of Innovate Limerick said: “This facility will create a pathway to sustainable employment in the town. Our primary objectives as Directors of Innovate Limerick is for this space to support entrepreneurship and employment opportunities as well as re-training and up-skilling in the town of Abbeyfeale and to support a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation at every level in the local community.”

ENGINE has been established to drive innovation forward, by providing individuals and companies with facilities to match their ambitions and needs. The facility is home to entrepreneurs and companies who are focused on technology and innovation. The layout of ENGINE Limerick is one which encourages cross-collaboration, creativity, and innovation and it is proposed to replicate the same design principles in E-Hub Abbeyfeale.

The training facilities at ENGINE Limerick have been developed to create a supply of skills needed across a range of sectors, for example, to meet the needs of the international film sector following the location of international film studios Troy Studios in Limerick. Its vision to create the same supports and opportunities for Abbeyfeale and its hinterland at this facility.

Innovate Limerick has been successful in raising €200,000 through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme from the Department of Rural and Community Development and it is anticipated that the hub will be ready by the first quarter of 2020.